Summers in the Sand
by born2speakmirth
Summary: Bella spends her summers soaking up the sun and reading through stacks of books at her condo in Myrtle Beach. What happens when her new neighbor gets under her skin?    Should be fairly light. Some conflict, but minimal angst.
1. Chapter 1

I'm not going to lie, the best thing about being a teacher is having the summer off. My friends and I have done the math and if you count all the time we spend planning, reading journal articles to keep current, and the mountains of grading, we end up working more than enough hours during the school year to makeup for our extended summer break. A lot of teachers take on summer jobs to make extra money, but I can't bring myself to do it. I give so much of myself to my job, that I really needed to step back in the summer and just be me. That's why, after my dad died, I bought a small condo on the beach with some of his life insurance money. I spend two months of my year living in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and reading as many books as I possibly can.

That is why I am currently walking up the wooden stairs of my condo complex with a pile of books stacked high from just under my chin to below my waist. Just as I reach my landing, my foot catches on the slightly uneven step, and in order to preserve my face, I let my books fly all over the landing and catch myself with my hands just in time. To my embarrassment, I see my spill did not go unobserved. A tall man with crazy hair and a petite woman are now looking my way. As I bend down to pick up my books, the couple comes over and starts to help as well.

I laugh a little bit to myself as I gather the books into a stack again. The man is holding a stack of books, and I finally look up at him with a grin on my face. "Thanks," is all I say.

He can't seem to decide if it's ok to laugh at what just happened or not, so his eyes are dancing with laughter, but his mouth is set in a line. The woman is holding another stack and I thank her as well and say, "It's ok to laugh you know. I know you want to. It's not every day you get to see a pile of books fly."

The man chuckled, "It did sort of look like an explosion from down the hall. I didn't even see you at first, just books flying everywhere."

I noted absently that he had a nice, deep voice as his companion added, "Are you all right?"

I laughed, "Nothing hurt but my pride. My best friend from back home told me I wasn't going to get all those books up here in less than three trips, and I bet her I could do it. I guess I owe her a dollar now."

They both laughed.

"Do you need any help with the rest of your things?" he asked.

"No, this was the last of it, and I'm right here." I indicated the condo right next to the stairs by wiggling my right elbow at it as I stood facing them, still holding onto a stack of books.

"Well then, allow me," the man said as he pulled back the wooden screen door and opened the brown metal door behind it. I placed the stack of books just inside the hallway and turned and retrieved the stacks from each of them.

"Thanks a lot. I guess I should introduce myself. I'm Bella Swan." I turned around and stuck out my hand in greeting toward the couple.

The dark-haired woman stepped around the man, who seemed a frozen, and shook my hand. "My name's Alice and this is Edward. I hope you'll be around a while?" she questioned.

"Oh, yeah. I stay the whole summer. I'm actually the owner of this unit. Are you guys new or just renting for a while?" I kind of hoped that they had bought a unit because they seemed like a nice couple and they were fairly young. Most of the owners here were older couples. It would be nice to have some people my age to have over for dinner once in a while.

Alice answered again. "We're just renting, but Edward will be here the whole summer too."

"Oh, well that's nice. I should get settled in and all so I can get to the grocery store before it's too gets too late. It was nice meeting you two, and I'm sure I'll see you around." I smiled at both of them genuinely and thought that they seemed nice. Edward was still just staring at me with a bit of a grin on his face.

After I unpacked my suitcase, put my books on the bookshelf in my living room, and opened the sliding glass doors to let in some air, I went through my refrigerator and threw out anything that had expired since the last time I was here. I only had a few condiments in there to begin with, but I wanted to make sure I didn't buy something I already had. I also went through the cabinets and checked what I had in them as well. Once I had an idea of what was already here, I sat down and made a menu for the week and then a grocery list. It might seem a little over-organized to some people, but I like doing things this way. I don't always stick to my plan exactly, but I find I need to go to the store less often because I get everything at once, and it does save me some money.

I left my condo, list in hand, and headed to the local grocery store. As I drove past all the beach shops selling the same things and all promising drastic discounts or free items with purchase, I couldn't help but feel home. While Myrtle Beach wasn't my home really, it did have a special place in my heart. I remember the trips we took here as a family when I was a child and how my dad didn't really like the sun or the sand, but he'd come anyway to spend time with my mom and me. Even though it wasn't really his favorite place in the world, it would always make me think of him. I think that's the main reason I bought my condo. That and my mom loved to come visit.

The grocery store was in the same place it has been since my days here as a child. It wasn't the fanciest grocery store in town, but I was loyal nonetheless. I couldn't see myself driving down to a newer one, when this one was still open.

I picked up most of the items I needed and was standing next to the rows of lotions in the personal care aisle when I noticed someone familiar at the end of the aisle. He seemed to be pretending to look at the deodorants, but really he was sneaking peaks at me every few seconds. I decided to ignore him for the moment and searched for the cocoa butter. The smell of cocoa butter always reminded me of the beach. My mom bought it for me here one summer when my sunburn was finally gone and my skin was very dry. I closed my eyes and brought the bottle up to my nose and thought I could even smell it a little through the safety seal. I smiled.

"Is there a reason that lotion makes you smile?" the man from the hallway earlier asked and interrupted my memories.

"Is there a reason you were contemplating your deodorant selection? I thought most people just bought the same one each time," I teased him right back. His tone and nosiness made me a little uncomfortable, but I didn't want to seem rude.

"Well I don't have one that makes me smile, so I thought I'd keep looking," he answered back with a crooked grin.

"Maybe someday." I give him a fake smile and shrug and put my cocoa butter in my cart.

I'm about to walk away when I hear his voice again, very quietly, "Bella?"

I turn back to him and see he is hanging his head and kicking the toe of his shoe against the wheel of his cart. "Yes?"

"I'm sorry if I offended you somehow by asking about the lotion. You looked like it reminded you of something pleasant. I just wanted to know." He looked up at me during his last sentence, and I was shocked by how green his eyes were. They were beautiful. It took me a second to get back to the topic, but I don't think he noticed.

"You didn't offend me. I'm sorry if I acted annoyed or anything. The smell makes me think of my childhood here at the beach. I'm a pretty private person and I work in a high school so I guess when someone asks me a question I'm even slightly uncomfortable with, I'm likely to turn into teacher mode and act kind of condescending. I try to turn it off, but it's difficult."

He smiles at me and asks, "So I got a glimpse of Ms. Swan there?"

I can't believe this guy remembers my first and last name. I'm struggling to remember his name at all and I'm drawing a big blank right now. "Um, yeah, I guess you did. Well I should finish up here and get home. I'm getting hungry."

I smile to let him know I'm not upset and walk away. I chance a glance back at him as I round the corner, and he's still watching me.

What was his name?


	2. Chapter 2

I woke up the next morning around ten and stretched luxuriously in my huge king-sized bed. The condo had come partially furnished and this bed was brand new, still in plastic, when I bought the place. I knew I'd never need such a huge bed, but hey it was new. Once I laid down on it though, I knew I could never get rid of it. It might be my favorite part of spending my summers here. I rolled onto my stomach and stretched out my arms and legs and squeezed the bed and its satiny sheets. I then chuckled and thought to myself that I really did need to find a man if I was finding myself hugging my bed. Unbidden, I thought of my new neighbor, but I quickly dismissed him. I didn't think his girlfriend or wife or whatever would appreciate me flirting with her man.

I spent a lazy morning putting things away and cleaning a little while I listened to the sound of the ocean and watched some of my favorite Jane Austen movie adaptations. I even took the time to paint my toenails. It was relaxing to not have any demands on my time. After a quick lunch, I threw on my swimsuit and cover-up, grabbed my sun block and a book from my shelf, and decided to spend the afternoon by the pool soaking up some sun.

When I arrived at the pool, the girl with short, dark hair from the hallway yesterday was there next to the only empty chair. "Um… Hello again. Are you saving this chair for your husband?" I asked her.

"No, it's free. Edward is sitting over there." She motioned to the chair on the other side of her. As she did so, I noticed she had a beautiful square cut diamond ring on her left hand. She grinned and continued, "He's not my husband though." They must be engaged with a beautiful ring like that on her hand.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that. I couldn't remember his name. I'm not the best with names in a social context. Give me a classroom of thirty teenagers and I'll know their names in forty-five minutes, but give me two adults on the street, and it takes me days." I settle into my chair and pull out my sun block while poking fun at myself.

"Well, I'm Alice, and if you have to ask again, don't worry about it. I promise not to be offended."

"Well, hopefully Edward won't be either. I saw him at the grocery store last night and couldn't remember his name for the life of me. I don't think he noticed though," I told her conspiratorially.

"He mentioned he saw you, and no, I don't think he noticed." Her huge grin had a slightly unsettling quality. I felt a little like she was plotting something that I wasn't going to like. I dismissed it as best I could and started putting on my sun block.

"Bella, does your bottle of sun block really say 'SPF 90' on it or am I just seeing things?" Alice asked me as she lowered her sunglasses slightly to look over the top of them.

I laughed, squeezed some more lotion onto the palm of my hand, and handed her the bottle. "Yes, Alice, it does indeed say 'SPF 90.'"

"Why would anyone ever have an SPF that high? Do you get any color at all wearing that?" She handed me back the bottle like it might contaminate her.

"No, and I like it that way." Alice looked absolutely floored, so I continued, "My skin is only ever two colors. This lovely plain white-as-a-sheet color you see before you now or bright, angry red-as-a-lobster crimson. This shade hurts a lot less, so I try to maintain it." I smiled at her to let her know I didn't take myself too seriously.

She giggled a little and said, "Edward is actually the same way. I mean he burns easily. He had some really nasty burns when we were kids."

"Oh, believe me I did too. Sun blocks have gotten a lot better since then and I take advantage of them. Ninety might be a little excessive, but I don't take any chances. The last thing I want to do is have to spend a week of my vacation inside being miserable because of a bad sunburn."

Our conversation tapered off after that as Alice went back to reading her book and I pulled out my own. It was a companionable silence, and I enjoyed having her there even if we weren't interacting.

About ten pages later, I looked up to see the guy from the hallway approaching us. He had obviously been in the ocean, because he was wet. His hair was sticking straight up in some places and sort of matted down in others, and it looked darker than it did when it was dry. A few of the wilder pieces in front were dripping water into his face, and as he walked he kept trying to smooth them back, but it didn't help. Droplets of water covered his torso and arms and ran down his legs below his swimsuit. He was toned and broad, but not overly so. In my eyes, he was a perfect male specimen.

I felt myself staring at him a little too long and slipped my eyes back to the words on the pages before me. I silently thanked God I was wearing sunglasses, so hopefully he and his fiancée hadn't seen me ogling him. He picked up the towel from his chair and started patting himself down with it. I couldn't help watching his arms move as he brought the towel to his face and rubbed his hair. I kept my head bent toward my book and just moved my eyes, so it wouldn't be as obvious. Wow, I'm sure a dork. That's right, I'm Bella Swan who ogles engaged men and hugs her bed.

I snapped my attention back to my book for a few moments until I realized that Alice and her fiancé were talking about their dinner plans. Without really meaning to, I realized I was listening. She was telling him it was his turn to cook, and he was complaining that he didn't know how to do anything other than grill or dial a phone. I decided to help the poor man out. I dipped my book down to my lap and said, "We have some gas grills for everyone to use on the far side of the parking lot."

He grinned over at me like I was an answer to his prayers, "Really? I hadn't seen them."

"Yeah. I think there are three over there. It's basically just everyone clean up after himself, and the gas and maintenance is included in the condo fees. It's nice to be able to grill, and everyone having their own grills on their patios would get too dangerous," I added.

"Yes, I'm sure. I think that's a wise idea." He turned from me and said to Alice, "How does grilled chicken sound? I'll even make a salad to go with it. I can handle a salad."

Alice laughed and said, "I should hope you can handle a salad since you bought a bag of salad yesterday at the store. That sounds good though."

After that, we fell silent once again, and I went back to my book. Throughout the afternoon, we talked occasionally, but mostly we just read our books and soaked up the sun's warmth. Alice laughed a little at me when I applied another layer of my sun block, and I assured her that I'd rather be safe than sorry.

Edward spent his time laying in the sun and looking gorgeous. Occasionally he'd go back out to the ocean or take a dip in the pool, and every time he came toward me dripping water, I couldn't help but look up and admire his body. I didn't know how Alice was ignoring that kind of a show from her man, but she seemed completely unphased by him. Maybe they've been together for a long time or something, and she takes his looks for granted. I'm not quite sure how that's possible.

I took a quick dip in the pool to cool down a bit and Edward joined me while I was tredding water in the deep end, away from the splashing kids on the shallow end.

"How do you make this look so effortless?" he asked.

"What?" I ask in genuine confusion. Nobody ever has told me I make anything look effortless.

"Tredding. You barely look like you have to move to stay above water and I'm over here huffing and puffing," he said matter-of-factly in between his somewhat labored breathing.

"You're a man," I said flatly.

He chuckled, "Well, thanks for noticing, but what does that have to do with tredding water?"

"Men have less fat and more muscle in general than women, so men tend to sink and women tend to be naturally buoyant."

"You're kidding me right?"

"No, it's the God's honest truth. My dad used to sink like a stone in the water and my mom couldn't sink if she tried." I smiled affectionately thinking of swimming here at this same beach with my parents.

"Will they be joining you sometime this summer?" he asked. I could tell he was getting tired, but he made no move to leave.

"My mom will," I decided to evade the dad question for the moment. I didn't want him to feel bad.

"Your dad too busy?"

Well, I guess I tried.

"No. He passed away over a year ago now from complications of his pancreatic cancer." I've gotten this sentence down to an art. It still hurts to think about it, but I can now say it without breaking down and with enough confidence that usually people don't say anything more after that.

"I'm sorry, Bella. I didn't know." He looks upset at himself for pressing the issue.

"It's really ok. You _didn't_ know, and you shouldn't feel bad. It doesn't bother me to talk about it anymore, but I don't necessarily bring it up in casual conversation because it bums people out." I smile so he knows I'm not upset. I go ahead and get out after that, having decided I'm cool enough and that I don't really want to continue this conversation right now.

I read for a little bit longer and then decide to go get cleaned up and think about my own dinner. I decide that grilling sounds like a good idea for my dinner too and put a steak in marinade. After showering the chlorine out of my hair and drying it straight, I put a potato in the oven to bake and throw together a salad. I have to admit, I used bagged lettuce too, but I did add some onion and croutons to the mix. When I get downstairs to the grills, my neighbor is there grilling his chicken.

He greets me warmly, "Why, hello there, Bella."

I smiled at him and said, "I see you found the grills."

"That I did. You decide to grill as well tonight?" His question annoys me a little. I mean why else would I be over here?

I motioned toward the raw steak on the plate with my set of tongs, "Yes, obviously. This steak is a little too rare for my tastes." I set the flame on the grill next to his and close the lid for a moment to let it heat up.

He chuckles. "Aww. I was hoping you came over just to talk to me." He gave me a lop-sided grin, and I wondered where the shy man I talked to in the grocery store had gone. Did he see me checking him out earlier and now he had gotten cocky?

"Nope. Sorry," I said abruptly, hoping to shut down any further conversation.

"Then I'll have to dazzle you with my ability to cook meat." He flipped one of the chicken breasts over with a flourish.

"I think you and your meat are Alice's domain there, buddy." I didn't like how he seemed to be flirting with me when he was obviously involved with someone else and pretty seriously too. Was he just a big flirt?

I put my steak on, enjoying the satisfying sizzle it makes as it hits the hot grill, and then look back at him. He looks slightly confused, and it just makes me angry with him. Is he so conceited that he can't imagine a woman who wouldn't want to fall at his feet? Was he trying to show off his body on purpose with his low-hung board shorts and repeated dips in the pool? Does he not like it when he's reminded that he's already taken and shouldn't be flirting with other women?

He finishes up quickly after that and scrubs the grill with the brush hanging from it. At least he's considerate.

"Good night, Bella," he says quietly before heading up the stairs closest to the grill area.

For some reason, I feel a little guilty about how he left, but I quickly shove that feeling aside and concentrate on what I'm doing. By the time I'm finished with my dinner, I've decided there was no reason for me to feel guilty and that my new neighbor is nothing but a player who things way too highly of himself.


	3. Chapter 3

Over the next week, I easily fell into my summer routine. I would stay up much too late reading and then sleep in the next morning. I'd have a lazy morning and then spend my afternoons by the pool with Alice. The two of us were becoming pretty close even though things with Edward were still pretty strained. For some reason, we just didn't talk about him and he wasn't around too much. We mostly talked about our jobs. Alice worked for a fashion magazine as an assistant editor and had a horrific boss who reminded me a lot of the lady in "The Devil Wear Prada." She had a lot of stories about her. I traded her stories about my students. We didn't really talk about anything personal, but it was nice.

On Monday, I went out to settle in my chair for the afternoon and noticed Alice wasn't there. She was always here before me, and it seemed strange. Had she gone home and not mentioned it? I thought she said she'd be around the whole summer.

I turned to the page in my book marked by a receipt I had grabbed from somewhere and settled in. After a few minutes, a shadow was cast over my book and I looked up. There before me was Edward. He was wearing khaki cargo shorts that were slightly distressed and a dark green polo. His hair was falling in his face and over his sunglasses as he looked down at me. His smile looked tentative, but I couldn't be sure since the lenses of his sunglasses masked the expression of his eyes. Maybe he wasn't so cocky after all.

"Hey, Bella," he said quietly. "Do you mind if I sit for a second?"

"Sure, go ahead. Where's Alice?" I motioned to the chair next to me, and he sat facing me instead of the pool.

"She got a call from work late last night and had to leave suddenly. She wanted me to come down here today and tell you goodbye for her. She felt bad leaving without telling you herself, but she left quite early this morning and she knows you sleep late. She didn't want to disturb you." He made this entire speech while staring at his hands that were propped up on his knees.

I smiled and tried to put him at ease. "Thanks for coming down and telling me, Edward. I appreciate it. I hope whatever is going on isn't serious. She mentioned her boss can be a real handful."

He chuckled and said, "That's an understatement." He looked uncomfortable and cleared his throat before continuing, "Bella? Did I do something to make you mad at me?" He was now wringing his hands and shifting in his seat.

I didn't really know what to say, and I really didn't want to have this conversation. "Well, um, not really. I'm just sort of friends with Alice and didn't want to give the wrong impression." This seemed to make him sad for some reason. I really didn't understand this man at all.

He bent over and picked up my bookmark that had fallen on the ground at some point. "Bella, is there a reason why you have your receipt from the grocery store out here at the pool?"

His slightly wrinkled forehead and the smirk on his lips were very cute, whether he was taken or not.

"I'm using that as my bookmark," I told him matter-of-factly.

"Don't they make bookmarks?"

"Yes, but I already had that and I didn't need to spend money on it. It works the same."

"I suppose it does, but I'd think someone who loves books as much as you do would want something more dignified." He was turning over the receipt in his hand and flopping it around like he was trying to figure out how it was special.

I grabbed the receipt from him and said, "I used to buy bookmarks when I was a kid, but I lost them all of the time or could never find one when I needed it, so I got in the habit of grabbing whatever is handy. I still forget to grab something to mark my place when I sit down to read."

He was actually looking at me now and had even removed his sunglasses so I could actually see him. His eyes really were beautiful. The green of his shirt really didn't hurt either.

"Why not fold down pages or set it down still open?"

I made an overly dramatic grasp and held my head to my chest, "And break the binding or crease the pages? Edward, how could you? These are books we're talking about!"

"Ah, see, I knew you loved books," he grinned. He really was incredibly good-looking. Alice better not stay away too long, because if he is a flirt and he flirts with the wrong beach bunny, he could have some trouble on his hands.

"Yeah, I guess I always have. I know some people who really love reading who mark in their books and their books are falling apart because they are so well loved, but I've always been very careful with my books. It actually almost bothers me a bit to have them out here by the pool, but they are meant to be enjoyed." Wow. That was kind of deep for me to share with a stranger. Must think on that more later.

Edward stood up then and put his sunglasses back on, "Well I should go, I've got to run down to Wal-mart to pick up a few things."

I couldn't help but grimace at his words.

"What, Bella? Do you have something against Wal-mart?" he laughed.

"No, I'm a fan of rolled back prices just like everybody else. It's just something you learn when you spend any amount of time here. Most of the rentals run from weekend to weekend, so the beginning of the week, everybody goes to Wal-mart to stock up on all the things they left at home. I try to steer clear of Wal-mart or the grocery store until Wednesday at least if I can help it."

"That makes a lot of sense and thanks for the tip, but I'm afraid it can't be helped this time. I'll keep that in mind though." He gave me another lop-sided grin and walked away. That man had a great body from the back as well. I really need to stop thinking about him like that.

I got so wrapped up in my book that it was starting to get dark by the time I realized I should head inside and cook something for dinner. The air was cooling quickly and I realized I was getting chilly wearing only my wet swimsuit in the ocean breeze.

I started through the hallway that led to the stairs closest to my condo, and I was stopped by something I saw in the parking lot. Edward was pulling a bag out of the truck of a red sports car. A tall blond woman approached and gave him a kiss on the cheek, and he grinned broadly at her. I hoped to God that was his sister. When he turned to walk away from her, she grabbed his ass.

"Rosalie! Cut that shit out! There are people around!" he shouted at her, but he didn't look too angry.

At this point, I was fuming. How dare he do that to Alice! She might not seem to appreciate how gorgeous he was, but she was still his fiancée. I mean I knew he was a flirt, but this was beyond wrong. He waited until Alice left and then called a blond? Did he have a redhead stashed someplace too?

I didn't have any way to contact Alice so there was no way I could tell her. I realized then that I didn't even know their last names. Well, when she got back she'd hear about it, that's for sure.

I was still fuming the next morning when I went down to the pool earlier than usual. I finished my book early and decided to just watch a movie instead of starting a new one. That meant that for once, I got to bed at a decent hour.

Once I got downstairs to the pool, I noticed the blond woman from last night already laid out on a chair in a bright red, barely there bikini. No one wore that type of swimsuit unless they enjoyed being looked at a bit too much.

I purposefully went to the other side of the pool and put on my sun block. After a few minutes, Edward appeared, wet from a swim. It really should be illegal for that man to walk around wet. It's just obscene. The blond doesn't seem anymore impressed by the show than Alice ever did. Maybe he just goes for women who aren't easily impressed.

I think briefly about confronting them, but decide I could be reading it wrong and so I'll just let it go for now.

The blond says, "Hey, Hot Stuff," as Edward sits down in the chair next to hers.

He rolls his eyes at her and says, "So when does Emmett get here?"

"He's coming in tomorrow, so tonight's our last night alone, lover boy," the blond replies with a wink.

Oh great. It's worse than I thought. She's involved with someone else too. Seriously, my summer is turning into a soap opera.


	4. Chapter 4

I more or less successfully ignored Edward and the blond across the pool. Occasionally he'd shift in his seat or get up, and I couldn't help but stare a little bit at his wet arms shining in the sunlight. I don't know how someone could not watch such a good show. At one point, I realized the blonde was staring at me when I tore my eyes away from Edward for a second. Her gaze was sort of cold and calculating. I felt like she was measuring me up, and I wasn't sure if I was going to pass. I tried to go back to reading my book, but I still felt her stare. After a minute more, I just decided to leave. I wasn't enjoying my book because of Edward and the staring blonde, so I might as well go upstairs and read there.

As I gathered my things, Edward called out, "Bella, calling it a day already?"

"Yeah, I feel like taking advantage of my air conditioning."

He walked over and stood a couple feet away. "You could always take a dip in the pool. You aren't even wet. I'm sure that's why you're hot."

I tried not to let it effect me that the man had just told me I wasn't wet and that I was hot. I mean he didn't mean it in a sexual context, but that voice of his and the fact that he's standing in front of me without a shirt on, just sort of made my mind go in dirty directions. Yeah, I'll blame it on that.

I finally recovered enough to say, "Um, you're probably right."

He folded his arms across his chest which really accented his well-muscled upper arms. "Do I need to get you wet?" he asked with a slight grin on his face.

I think I just stared and blinked at him for about thirty seconds and then said, "Um, no thanks. I'll just be heading upstairs."

He walked toward me with a feline-like grace. I felt like I was being stalked. I briefly wondered where the shy man from the grocery store had gone. This man was sure of himself. He gently pried the book and towel out of my hands and set them down on my chair. He leaned in and whispered in my ear, "Ready to get wet?"

Then before I knew what was happening, he had his arms around me and he was picking me up and walking toward the pool. I finally snapped out of my trance and hit him in the chest. "Edward, no! I'm serious. Don't throw me in that pool! And shouldn't you be flirting with your blonde you're messing with behind Alice's back?"

He stopped walking and set me down. He looked stunned. Before he could recover, I grabbed my things off my chair and ran upstairs to my condo. The cool air enveloped me the second I walked in the door and helped me feel a little bit better. I didn't want to make things uncomfortable for myself since he'd be here the rest of the summer, but it looked as if I just had.

I laid down on my bed to feel sorry for myself and just let my embarrassment wash over me.

A couple hours later, I woke up in my bed still in my swimsuit. It was definitely not the most comfortable sleepwear. As I was coming around, I realized that I had heard a knock on my door. I walked out there and looked through the peep hole. It was Edward. I considered not answering it at all for a moment and then with a huge sigh, I pull open the door. He looked great in a pair of green khaki pants and a black button down shirt. He had rolled up the sleeves and left a button or two undone at the collar in a nod to the balmy weather. His hair was in a stylish mess and he looked freshly shaved. I could even smell a little cologne. He was ready for a date.

I just then realized that I was still standing there in my tankini and my hair was probably a huge mess from sleeping. He grinned a little which just pissed me off more. He wasn't allowed to laugh at me right now.

"Did you need something?" I asked tartly.

"Um.. well I think I need to explain some things…."

"Yes?" I folded my arms across my chest and leaned against the doorjamb.

"Rosalie isn't… well… um… I'm not involved with Rosalie." He looked down at his shoes as he said this.

"Ok." I wasn't sure what else to say.

"I wanted you to know…"

"If that's true, then why did she smack your ass and call you her lover?"

His ears turned red instantly and color spread into the rest of his face. "She.. well, um… you see she's married to my older brother, Emmett. He is a big jokester and I think it's rubbing off on Rose. Um… You see… Well, um, she was just joking about that stuff. Emmett will be here tomorrow morning. They are staying for two weeks."

"Well it's nice that you can have your family come and stay. Well, good night, Edward." I started to close the door and turned to leave.

"Bella!" His arm was holding open the door and he had moved closer to me to block me from shutting the door. His voice was quiet when he continued, "Bella, I'm single."

I looked up into his eyes and saw a gentleness and vulnerability there. He was just so handsome. In a whisper I asked, "What about Alice?"

He grinned at me and said, "Alice is engaged to my best friend, Jasper, not me. And she also happens to be my sister."

Without thinking about it, I said, "That makes sense. I didn't understand why she could ignore you walking around like she did."

He moved in even closer. "What are you talking about?"

His question made me realize what I had actually said out loud and I felt my cheeks get hotter. "Oh, um, nothing. I've got to go get changed and make some dinner and all." I pulled away from him.

He pulled back too and stuffed his hands in his pockets. "Rose is waiting to go to dinner. She wanted to go to a seafood place she likes before Emmett shows up. He doesn't like seafood."

"I'm not a fan either, so I understand. I'll see you later."

"Yeah, Bella, I'll see you later." I closed the door after watching him walk away for a second. Edward was single. I wasn't sure if I was happy about that or not.


	5. Chapter 5

"Ok. I'm just going to go downstairs and sit by the pool like I always have. If he's there, I'm going to be friendly, but not talk to him too much if I can help it. The fact that he is single doesn't change anything. He's out of my league. CALM DOWN." The pep talk I was giving myself as I gathered my things into my bag was helping marginally. I was sorely tempted to just stay in my condo all day, but I figured that would just make things worse.

As I walked out my door, I could see that someone with a big Jeep had just arrived. As he was fishing out a couple bags, I noticed how huge he was. He must be several inches over six feet, and he was built like a body builder. I then saw the blond woman staying with Edward run across the parking lot. When the big man saw her, he dropped his bags and caught her and twirled her around. They seemed very happy. I couldn't help but envy them. I would love to have someone who was that happy to see me.

I headed down the steps to the pool and lost sight of the couple for a few seconds. I almost ran into them at the bottom of the stairs. "Excuse me, little lady," came a deep voice, "I haven't seen my woman in a week and I wasn't watching where we were going." He had both of his duffle bags under one arm and the other arm was around his wife.

"It's alright. It happens."

"You're Edward's Bella aren't you?" the beautiful blond asked.

"Well, my name is Bella and I know Edward and Alice, yes." I was a little put out by being called Edward's, but mostly I was wondering why she said it that way.

"He explained that he's not cheating on his sister with me, right?" She looked like she thought the situation was extremely funny.

"Yes." I didn't offer anything else. I just wanted this conversation to be over.

"Well be nice to my little bro, Bella. He could use a nice girl right now. I'll look forward to bugging you more later, but for now I need to spend some quality time with my woman." By the way he was looking down at his wife, you could tell he adored her.

They hurried up the stairs past me and I could hear them laughing and playing.

I didn't give myself a lot of time to think about what they said. Instead I threw myself into the book I had brought downstairs with me. About a minute later, Edward appeared still looking a bit sleepy and scruffy. His hair was sticking in all directions like normal, but seemed to be flattened at an odd angle near the top and he hadn't shaved so he had scruff along his jaw. His shorts were a bit crumpled, but his shirt looked pretty fresh. He was absolutely adorable. I tried not to let my grin break into a giggle.

"Good morning, Edward. Just wake up?" I couldn't resist teasing him.

"Yes. I had some trouble sleeping last night." He looked at me in alarm like he had said too much.

"I'm sorry. I hate when that happens. I take it your brother and sister-in-law woke you up with their reunion?" I grinned.

"Yes. Not exactly what I want to hear first thing in the morning. I left a little quickly." He ran his hand through his hair, but missed the flat patch.

"You don't say!" I tried to look surprised, but I think the grin ruined it.

"Don't mess with me before I've had my coffee, Bella." He smiled at me and I knew he wasn't really a threat. "Do you want to have compassion on me and let me use your bathroom and maybe a comb?"

"Sure, Edward, I'll even get you a cup of coffee so you won't have to threaten anyone else." I stuck my book back in my beach bag and pulled out my key. As I headed toward my apartment, I could feel his eyes on me as he walked behind. My heart was hammering in my chest. I told myself to calm down and concentrate on taking deep breaths. It had been a long time since I had a man in my apartment, either here or back home. This was just about hygiene though. He needed a bathroom and I was offering him a cup of coffee.

When we got upstairs I went straight to the bathroom and pulled out a spare toothbrush, toothpaste, a comb, and some hair products in case he wanted to use something. He stood at the door and watched. "Well, um, anything else you might need you can look for. I don't mind. I'll leave you to it." I know I must have been blushing.

I went into the kitchen and looked through the k-cups I had for my Keurig. "Do you actually want coffee or would you rather have tea or hot chocolate?"

"Coffee, please," he called back.

This felt way too domestic all of a sudden. I started the machine and fished out a couple of cereal bars. I also pulled out my milk and sugar and set them on the counter too. Just as the coffee finished, he came into the kitchen with his hair wet, but looking much neater. He hadn't shaved and I realized I forgot to offer him a razor too. The scruff made him look really hot though.

"Um.. I forgot to offer you a razor. I have a fresh blade for mine I think." I was staring at his chin. I really needed to stop.

His lips parted in a smile and he said, "It's ok. I'll shave later. I'm rather partial to my razor. I tried to use Alice's once when we were teens and shredded my face. Ever since then nothing pink and sharp comes near me." He chuckled and it made me feel all warm inside. I really needed to snap out of this.

I thrust his cup of coffee at him and motioned to the counter where I had laid out the cereal bars, sugar, and creamer.

"Thanks, Bella. I appreciate you taking me in temporarily." He added a little bit of sugar to his coffee, took a sip, and then leaned back against the counter while he opened a cereal bar.

I didn't really know what to do with myself. I decided I might as well put away the milk, so I stepped near him to get the carton. He looked up at me expectantly. "Um.. I was gonna… put away the milk."

He quickly stepped aside and looked a little flustered. "Oh yeah, of course."

I didn't look at him while I put away the milk, but I felt his eyes on me. It felt like there was a lot of tension in the room.

"Bella, can I ask you something?"

I forced myself to look back up at him and leaned against the opposite counter. "Sure."

"When you were angry at me by the grills and shot me down, was it because you thought I was engaged to Alice?" His eyes were so vulnerable looking, but his stare didn't waver from my face.

"Yes."

He chuckled a little and finally broke his stare. "Well, good for you. I couldn't figure out what I had said or done that would make you upset like that. I'm glad to know it's just that you thought I was cheating on my sister."

I grinned. "Well, I like Alice. I didn't want to flirt with her fiancé."

"When you see a tall Texan with curly blonde hair, steer clear then." He relaxed against the counter again and took a bite of the cereal bar.

"Her fiancé is a cowboy? I have a hard time seeing that. I would think she'd go for one of those charming, polished business guy types."

"Oh Jasper has more charm in his little finger than most of the male population put together. It's just a southern type of charm. They're great together. He was my roommate in college and he's my best friend. He used to come home with me sometimes on breaks and he met her. At first I was a little pissed at him, but then I realized he really cares for her and he is a good guy. He'll take care of her and keep her from going too crazy."

"Good for Alice. She deserves a nice guy. She seems really sweet."

"She liked you too. She should be back in a couple days. Her boss doesn't really understand the whole 'on vacation' thing much, but Alice told her she'd quit if she didn't let her have the time she promised with her family. Alice is invaluable to that woman. No one else would put up with her crap, and no one knows fashion like Alice."

"I can see that. She told me I should get some real sandals instead of my ninety-nine cent flip-flops."

Edward laughed, "That sounds like Alice."

"Well I think I'm going to go back down to the pool. You're welcome to stay here and watch tv or something if you want." I pushed off from the counter and headed to where I had stashed my bag when we walked in.

"Bella?" I looked up at him. He looked kind of nervous again.

"Yes?"

"Would you like to go get some lunch and then walk around Barefoot Landing with me? I think Rosalie and Emmett will be a while and I don't have my pool stuff. Maybe we could even drive down to the movie theater and see what's playing?"

I didn't answer right away. On one hand I couldn't think of a reason not to go. He was a nice guy and he wouldn't be cheating on anyone. On the other hand, he made me a little nervous and I felt like maybe this would end up being a mistake. He looked so vulnerable and he was just so handsome though.

After a second, I finally said, "Sure, Edward. Let me go change."


End file.
